Asus A620 Review by Matt Keys
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-Benchmarks

Speed

I have found that with the Asus, a lot of things that seemed fast enough on my 2215, just do not cut it anymore now that I have experienced the speed of the A620. For instance, being that I had the 2215 long before I received my Asus, I had already been using it for SNES. I found the speed to be remarkable, and I didn’t think it could get much faster. But that is where the Asus proved to be a far superior device. It is hard to really put a number down on how much faster the Asus can run SNES, so I have prepared a short video that helps to demonstrate the difference in speed. Both of the devices were set to the same settings in PocketSNES, and running at their fastest stock speeds. For the a620, this meant turbo mode, the 2215 had no variable speed control. The ROM was played from main memory after each device had a soft reset.

The Asus A620 is on the left, and the HP 2215 is on the right

Download Video : 160x120 : 1min 10 sec : 4.16 MB

One cool feature that asus included with the device, is the option to change what mode the unit is running in. The options include: Turbo Mode(400mhz), Standard Mode(300mhz), Power Saving Mode(200mhz), and Automatic Mode. The turbo mode will set the device at 400mhz, and it manages to squeeze out a couple more FPS in games/video. I found that there was a very noticable difference between turbo mode, and standard mode while playing SNES. Power saving mode does just the opposite of turbo of course, underclocking the device to get better battery life at the cost of performance. I always kept my device on automatic mode this gave me the speed when I needed it, and the better battery life when I didn't.

Update: For those who are curious, I have created a new video of the Asus A620(left) Vs. the HP2215(right), while both devices are overclocked to 472mhz, you can view this video Here (require quicktime)

And if you are the type that likes to crunch numbers, SPB Software House has compiled a database of benchmark information. You can compare the A620 with just about every device on the market. Check that out here: http://www.softspb.com/products/benchmark/compare.asp

Battery Life

Because the Asus does not have a removable battery, a long lasting runtime is an important aspect of the device. I ran three types of test on two devices, The HP 2215, and of course the Asus A620. For all of the testing I used Battery Monitor by PDAWin.

The first type of test is what I consider the torture test. I set both of the devices at a comparable backlight level, the Asus at level 20, and the 2215 on its sixth notch. I then set the sound on both of the units to the second notch from the bottom, and ran them both at their standard 400mhz settings. I looped a full length movie (Boondock Saints, great movie) over and over until the battery ran down to 0%. I ran the movie off of a 512mb CF card for both devices.

The Second test I ran is a bit more laid back, I set the backlight levels the same as before, and set the devices with only Battery Monitor running until they reached 0%. Not exactly a strenuous activity, but it gives you a fair estimate of how it would last using only the built in PIM functions. In the screenshots below, don’t be fooled by looking at just the “running” time, you must subtract the “suspend” time to get the actual time that the device was on.

Asus A620	HP 2215

And lastly, I recorded how long it took the two units to charge their batteries. Once again using Battery Monitor by PDAwin, it is a very handy program.

-Housing

Unlike the A600 which had a magnesium alloy housing, the A620 uses a plastic one. Perhaps the metal case had to go to bring this new unit down to a lower price point, but I think it is a shame that they got rid of it. They did keep a brushed aluminum frame around the screen, which adds a slick look to the device. But I find the plastic to feel a bit cheap, and not as solid as I would have hoped for. Not to say that I do not think the unit is durable, just that the plastic creaks a bit in my hand when I hold the device.

I think that Asus could have done a better job at making the device smaller, they have the thickness down right, but perhaps some more curved corners and making the device a bit shorter would have been nice. So long as they do not have to sacrifice the great game pad to do it. On each side of the device there is a groove running along the length of the unit, with two small pockets at the top and bottom. You can see this in the picture to the left, the groove is the gray colored stripe running from top to bottom. It appears that these could be used for expansion sleeves, but the only accessories I know of that takes advantage of it so far is the optional leather case and the cradle.

At the top of the device is the CF card slot, which will accept type I and II CF cards. On the back of the device, is a removable CF card door. I am not entirely sure the purpose of this door, perhaps it is to make taking stuck cards out easier. But the door snaps in firmly and I am sure someone will find it convenient, so I have no complaints.

-Looking to buy?

I have teamed up with ProPortable.com to provide all of our readers the best prices on the A620. Just hop over to the customization page and you will find the Asus A620 for 339.99, with free shipping. They are also offering the leather case I mentioned earlier for 25 dollars when you buy it with a new device, which is a great deal for a case of that caliber. Justin has also told me that they will be recieving GSM cards that fit in the CF card slot of the asus and add voice/data cababilities to the device, these cards will run around $200 dollars, and should arrive about the same time as the A620BT (mentioned below).

Update: ProPortable.com is now offering a foldable keyboard for the A620, you can find several pictures and a video here

More importantly though, they are taking pre-orders on the A620BT, which is just like the model I have reviewed here, but with an additional 32mb of ROM, and built in Bluetooth wireless. ProPortable.com has offered to the first 20 people who pre-order the A620BT that mention this review will recieve the unit straight from asus(it will be the first time they enter the united states), so you will not have to wait for ProPortable to get them into their inventory, it will be delivered straight to your house. With free shipping(to the 48 states, canada and mexico), and it will include the optional leather case(39.99). All for $410, just put in the coupon code: ProMatrixGreatDeal when you are checking out.

-Conclusion

My attitude towards this device has been going back and forth from the first day I recieved it. At first I was turned off by the devices size compared to my 2215. But the more I used this device, I came to depend on the features it provides. It is hands down the best gaming device on the market right now, it provides the speed and the controls that I demand, and the battery life to back it all up. You will not find a PocketPC that can match the gaming/multimedia experience that you will recieve with this device, especially for $340 dollars.